The Adventures of Flynn & Henry: The Football Game & the Ride Home
by pashotshot1
Summary: Flynn finally fulfills his promise of teaching his best friend how to play football . . . and Henry learns fast!


The Adventures of Flynn & Henry: The Football Game & the Ride Home

After a week of hit and miss showers and thunderstorms, the weathermen called for a very nice day in the forecast for Chicago. That meant Flynn finally got to do what he wanted to do with Henry for a week, and that was to teach him to play football at the Soldier Field. Flynn was in the living room playing video games, eagerly waiting for Henry to arrive at the apartment room. Henry knocked on the door.

"I'll get it, Mom!" Flynn yelled as he headed for the door to answer it. "Hello, overachieving genius who is about to get sports knowledge."

"Greetings, eager fellow who is about to add to my collection of knowledge," Henry said.

"So, Henry, are you ready to go out to the football field to play some football?" Flynn asked.

"I sure am, Flynn," Henry said.

Flynn and Henry gathered the football equipment, put it on their bike baskets, and they were off. The weather was indeed beautiful, and not the least bit humid. They biked under the El Train for a little while, and then took a path to the Soldier Field. They parked their bikes in the bike parking area, and went inside the spacious football field. Once they made it onto the stadium, they were in awe. The stadium was freshly cultivated and well taken care of. It was almost as if the maintenance people knew that people were going to come and play football.

"Well, Flynn, here we are," Henry said. "Isn't this place beautiful?"

"It sure is, Henry," Flynn said. "Now, I know how the Chicago Bears feel when they play football here."

"Well, what football skills should we learn first?" Henry said.

"Well, my genius friend, let's begin throwing first," Flynn said. "So, watch me."

Flynn threw the football to Henry.

"Did you see what I did?" Flynn asked.

"I saw what you did," Henry said and threw the ball back to Flynn.

"Wow, Henry. That was a good throw," Flynn said, and then threw the ball back to Henry.

"Thanks, Flynn," Henry said, and then threw the ball back to Flynn. They threw the ball back and forth from each other for about fifteen minutes before Flynn decided that it was time to move to another lesson.

"Now, let's run with the ball for a little bit," Flynn said. "We are at the ten yard line, and we're going to run the ball to that end zone over there."

"Okay, let me know when to start," Henry said.

"Okay, go, go, go!" Flynn said excitingly. Henry took off running, and he ran the ball all the way to the end zone. Flynn had him run several times from one end zone to the next, and Henry from the first time to the twelfth time cut his running time from two minutes and fifteen seconds to a minute and eight seconds.

"Wow, you learn fast," Flynn said.

"Well, thanks, Flynn," Henry said.

"Now, we must master kicking, or as they say in football, punting," Flynn said. "Also, we need to do some field goals, and some tackling."

"Wow, we have a productive football learning session ahead of us," Henry said.

"It will be worth it, Henry," Flynn said. "Before you know it, you will learn skills that you have previously only researched about."

"And I do a lot of research," Henry said.

"Anyway, let's punt for a little bit," Flynn said, and then handed the ball to Henry. "Now, drop the ball and kick it before it drops to the ground."

Henry did just as Flynn said, and kicked it only eight yards.

"Okay, Henry that was just the first kick. Let's do some more," Flynn said.

Henry did four more kicks, and his farthest kick was twenty-four yards.

"Alright, I guess we mastered that," Flynn said. "How about we do some field goal kicks?"

"So, that's when the goal posts come in?" Henry asked.

"Yes, it is, Henry," Flynn said. "You have done your research."

"Well, that's what I do to be a genius," Henry said.

"Anyway, I will hold the ball, and you will try to get it in between the two posts," Flynn said.

"Okay, then," Henry said, and then he kicked the ball. It fell short of the goal post.

"Okay, that was the first kick. Now, let's try it again," Flynn said.

Henry kicked the ball again. It hit the crossbar.

"Okay, let's try it again, and kick as far under the ball as you can," Flynn said.

Henry kicked the ball again. It barely cleared the crossbar.

"There you go. Your first three points," Flynn said.

Henry kicked the ball three more times. By his last kick, the ball was almost in the center point between the two goal posts.

"Okay, now we do tackling, and then we will call it a session. We can work on plays some other time," Flynn said. "I am kind of tired."

"Me, too, Flynn," Henry said.

"Okay, I will have the ball, and you are going to tackle me before I get to the end zone. We're going to start on the fifteen yard line," Flynn said.

"Okay, let's do it," Henry said.

Henry tried to tackle Flynn before he went to the end zone. Flynn made a touchdown the first three runs, but by run four, Henry was able to tackle Flynn at the two yard line. By run six, Henry tackled Flynn at the five yard line, and by the tenth run, Flynn was sacked.

"Wow, that was amazing, Henry," Flynn said. "You learn fast."

"Well, I read the history of the sport, and the scientific implications behind it, and everything just falls into place," Henry said.

"I guess it does pay to do your homework," Flynn said.

"There you go," Henry said. "So, shall we head on to your place?"

"We shall," Flynn said.

Flynn and Henry started for home, but they decided to bike ride under the El Train again before going home. They also decided to ride by the Sears Tower, and some of the attractions within midtown Chicago. They also rode down the Interstate and a couple of major highways for a little while before finally heading for home. Flynn and Henry left their bikes right at the entrance and then took the path to Flynn's apartment room.

"Thanks for teaching me how to play football," Henry said.

"You're welcome, Henry. Anything for a best friend," Flynn said.

"So, how about we celebrate with a relaxing trip to the hot tub?" Henry asked.

"You got it, Henry," Flynn said.

So, Henry and Flynn changed into their swimming suits and took a relaxing dip in the hot tub.

"That sport seems very exciting," Henry said.

"It is very exciting," Flynn said. "In that very stadium, tens of thousands of fans gather together in one mind and one accord to watch two teams play football."

"That does sound exciting," Henry said. "Do you think we can catch a game together in the future, Flynn?"

"I can check with my mom, but once I do, I don't see why not," Flynn said. "That will be a great way for you to learn more about the sport."

"That would be great. Thanks, Flynn," Henry said.

"Anything for my best friend," Flynn said.


End file.
